THE Metropolitan Police has been asked to question the former Prime Minister, Baroness Thatcher, as part of a US corruption investigation, according to a leaked official document.

According to the Whitehall document obtained by the Mirror, the US authorities lodged a request for information about a meeting she held with the US Republican Congressman Tom DeLay five years ago.

It forms part of an inquiry by the US Justice Department into allegations that congressmen received free foreign holidays in return for seeking to influence legislation.

A spokesman for Lady Thatcher confirmed that police had contacted her office in order to "clarify" details of her meeting with Mr DeLay during a visit he made to Britain in May 2000.

"Those details were clarified. That was the substance of it. It was merely factual. There was no indication at all that there was anything at all other than that," the spokesman said.

Charged

Last week Mr DeLay - a close ally of President George Bush - was forced to stand down as the Republican leader in the House of Representatives after being charged with criminal conspiracy in relation to another investigation.

According to the document, written by British officials, the request for assistance was part of a deception inquiry "involving high-profile American and UK-based individuals, including a leading Congressman and former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher."

The Mirror said that the investigation centred on the activities of a high profile US lobbyist, Jack Abramoff.

"US officials are investigating whether Abramoff was involved in obtaining legislative assistance from public officials in exchange for arranging and underwriting trips to the UK," the document said.

It went on: "One visit to the UK involved a meeting with Mrs Margaret Thatcher, and her evidence is sought about that meeting and her involvement in the alleged deception and violation of US criminal laws."

It added: "It is alleged that Abramoff arranged for his clients to pay for the trips to the UK on the basis that Congressman DeLay would support favourable legislation if they paid for the trip".

According to the Mirror, the holiday involved playing golf at St Andrews, theatre trips in London and luxury hotel accommodation, as well as dinner with unnamed members of the Scottish Parliament. Those contacts are also being investigated.

Sensitive

The document - marked "Secret" - acknowledged that the US request for information relating to Lady Thatcher was highly sensitive.

"There would be considerable interest in this case if it were to become public knowledge," it noted.

"We have been asked by the US to keep this request `sealed', which we take to mean as confidential as possible. This has been relayed to the Metropolitan Police.

"The Metropolitan Police have been asked to handle these inquiries sensitively given the nature of the individual concerned and the background to the request."

The Home Office refused to discuss the issue. A spokesman said: "We can neither confirm nor deny the receipt or transmission of requests for legal assistance".

However, Lady Thatcher's spokesman said that she had not been involved in any wrongdoing and had not been paid for meeting Mr DeLay.

He said that, like many other visiting congressmen, Mr DeLay had simply been paying her a courtesy call when he visited.

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Commentary:
Is it fair to say anyone who gave to DeLay or had anything to do with the man is tainted for all time? I think we're getting damn close. US business leaders who give exclusively to the GOP should be attacked by the democrats for giving to a corrupt political party. Shame them and put the fear of God in their stockholders.